List of teams that have been in the Sweet 16 since Iowa’s last visit in 1999. Yes, one Sweet 16 in 35 years…PATHETIC!!

[curtisj157]

1988 and 1999 last two Sweet 16 appearances boys.

Alabama

Alabama-Birmingham

Arizona

Arkansas

Auburn

Baylor

Boston College

Bradley

Butler

BYU

Cincinnati

Clemson

Cornell

Creighton

Davidson

Dayton

Duke

Florida

Florida Atlantic

Florida Gulf Coast

Florida St.

George Mason

Georgetown

Georgia Tech

Gonzaga

Houston

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa St

Kansas

Kansas St

Kent St

Kentucky

LaSalle

Louisville

Loyola, ILL

LSU

Marquette

Maryland

Memphis

Miami/Fl

Michigan

Michigan St.

Milwaukee

Missouri

NC State

Nevada

Northern Iowa

Notre Dame

Ohio

Ohio St

Oklahoma

Oklahoma St

Ole Miss

Oral Roberts

Oregon

Oregon St.

Penn St

Pitt

Princeton

Providence

Purdue

Richmond

San Diego St

Seton Hall

South Carolina

Southern ILL

St. Joseph’s

St. Mary’s

St. Peters

Stanford

Syracuse

Temple

Tennessee

Texas

Texas A&M

Texas Tech

Tulsa

UCLA

Uconn

UNC

UNLV

USC

Utah

Vanderbilt

VCU

Villanova

Virginia

Virginia Tech

Washington

West Virginia

Western Kentucky

Wichita St

Wisconsin

Xavier

 

[CarterHall]

1988 and 1999 last two Sweet 16 appearances boys.

Alabama

Alabama-Birmingham

Arizona

Arkansas

Auburn

Baylor

Boston College

Bradley

Butler

BYU

Cincinnati

Clemson

Cornell

Creighton

Davidson

Dayton

Duke

Florida

Florida Atlantic

Florida Gulf Coast

Florida St.

George Mason

Georgetown

Georgia Tech

Gonzaga

Houston

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa St

Kansas

Kansas St

Kent St

Kentucky

LaSalle

Louisville

Loyola, ILL

LSU

Marquette

Maryland

Memphis

Miami/Fl

Michigan

Michigan St.

Milwaukee

Missouri

NC State

Nevada

Northern Iowa

Notre Dame

Ohio

Ohio St

Oklahoma

Oklahoma St

Ole Miss

Oral Roberts

Oregon

Oregon St.

Penn St

Pitt

Princeton

Providence

Purdue

Richmond

San Diego St

Seton Hall

South Carolina

Southern ILL

St. Joseph’s

St. Mary’s

St. Peters

Stanford

Syracuse

Temple

Tennessee

Texas

Texas A&M

Texas Tech

Tulsa

UCLA

Uconn

UNC

UNLV

USC

Utah

Vanderbilt

VCU

Villanova

Virginia

Virginia Tech

Washington

West Virginia

Western Kentucky

Wichita St

Wisconsin

Xavier

Pathetic.

 

[JBo4Three]

1988 and 1999 last two Sweet 16 appearances boys.

Alabama

Alabama-Birmingham

Arizona

Arkansas

Auburn

Baylor

Boston College

Bradley

Butler

BYU

Cincinnati

Clemson

Cornell

Creighton

Davidson

Dayton

Duke

Florida

Florida Atlantic

Florida Gulf Coast

Florida St.

George Mason

Georgetown

Georgia Tech

Gonzaga

Houston

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa St

Kansas

Kansas St

Kent St

Kentucky

LaSalle

Louisville

Loyola, ILL

LSU

Marquette

Maryland

Memphis

Miami/Fl

Michigan

Michigan St.

Milwaukee

Missouri

NC State

Nevada

Northern Iowa

Notre Dame

Ohio

Ohio St

Oklahoma

Oklahoma St

Ole Miss

Oral Roberts

Oregon

Oregon St.

Penn St

Pitt

Princeton

Providence

Purdue

Richmond

San Diego St

Seton Hall

South Carolina

Southern ILL

St. Joseph’s

St. Mary’s

St. Peters

Stanford

Syracuse

Temple

Tennessee

Texas

Texas A&M

Texas Tech

Tulsa

UCLA

Uconn

UNC

UNLV

USC

Utah

Vanderbilt

VCU

Villanova

Virginia

Virginia Tech

Washington

West Virginia

Western Kentucky

Wichita St

Wisconsin

Xavier

Speaking of pathetic. The o.p. ranks right up there.

 

[Douglas C. Neidermeyer]

Yeah, that would be 25 years on my calendar.

I think he meant between the years 1989-2024, there had only been one appearance.

 

[AmericaNeedsMe]

1988 and 1999 last two Sweet 16 appearances boys.

Alabama

Alabama-Birmingham

Arizona

Arkansas

Auburn

Baylor

Boston College

Bradley

Butler

BYU

Cincinnati

Clemson

Cornell

Creighton

Davidson

Dayton

Duke

Florida

Florida Atlantic

Florida Gulf Coast

Florida St.

George Mason

Georgetown

Georgia Tech

Gonzaga

Houston

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa St

Kansas

Kansas St

Kent St

Kentucky

LaSalle

Louisville

Loyola, ILL

LSU

Marquette

Maryland

Memphis

Miami/Fl

Michigan

Michigan St.

Milwaukee

Missouri

NC State

Nevada

Northern Iowa

Notre Dame

Ohio

Ohio St

Oklahoma

Oklahoma St

Ole Miss

Oral Roberts

Oregon

Oregon St.

Penn St

Pitt

Princeton

Providence

Purdue

Richmond

San Diego St

Seton Hall

South Carolina

Southern ILL

St. Joseph’s

St. Mary’s

St. Peters

Stanford

Syracuse

Temple

Tennessee

Texas

Texas A&M

Texas Tech

Tulsa

UCLA

Uconn

UNC

UNLV

USC

Utah

Vanderbilt

VCU

Villanova

Virginia

Virginia Tech

Washington

West Virginia

Western Kentucky

Wichita St

Wisconsin

Xavier

Conference peer sweet sixteen appearances since '99:

Michigan State (14)
UCLA (12)
Wisconsin (10)
Purdue (9)
Michigan (7)
Oregon (7)
Illinois (6)
Ohio State (6)
Maryland (5)
Indiana (4)
USC (3)
Washington (3)
Penn State (1)

B1G teams have made 87 trips to the sweet sixteen since our last. We're in the group of Rutgers, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Northwestern with 0 this century. Not good. Even Freaking Iowa State has been to 5...

Considering the talent that has been through the program since '99, it's really a mind boggling drought.

 

[the notorious r.d.m.]

Good thread. I wasn't aware

 

[dekhawk]

Fran just needs a few more years.

 

[icwesthawk]

 

[monoman3232]

Get over it.

 

[AmericaNeedsMe]

Get over it.

You forgot to add: "...and keep buying tickets and merch, (suckers)." Don't forget that part, Beth.

 

[RagnarLothbrok]

I understand we have to find ways to highlight the futility of Iowa basketball but the “Sweet 16 drought” drum that keeps getting beaten is getting a little tiresome.

You have to win two games to reach the Sweet 16. Two.

For me, reaching the Sweet 16 is about as impressive as finishing 3rd or 4th in the conference, which Iowa has managed to do in recent memory. So, meh.

In other words, it needs to quit being discussed as a milestone. Yes, it’s pathetic Iowa hasn’t seen one in 25 years, but let’s not put it on a pedestal. I mean, if Fran had won that OT game against Tennessee a few years back, would fans really feel that much better about the state of Iowa basketball? I doubt it.

 

[AmericaNeedsMe]

I understand we have to find ways to highlight the futility of Iowa basketball but the “Sweet 16 drought” drum that keeps getting beaten is getting a little tiresome.

You have to win two games to reach the Sweet 16. Two.

For me, reaching the Sweet 16 is about as impressive as finishing 3rd or 4th in the conference, which Iowa has managed to do in recent memory. So, meh.

In other words, it needs to quit being discussed as a milestone. Yes, it’s pathetic Iowa hasn’t seen one in 25 years, but let’s not put it on a pedestal. I mean, if Fran had won that OT game against Tennessee a few years back, would fans really feel that much better about the state of Iowa basketball? I doubt it.

It's not so much a "pedestal" as it is a fairly low bar that we still can't reach.

Get over it though.

 

[RagnarLothbrok]

Get over it though.

Get over what?

 

[TampaHawkfan]

Get over it.

I'm over this whole program.

Yet, like a sucker, I keep coming back for more.

OP must be bored, though. Basketball season is still at least 3 months away.

 

[AmericaNeedsMe]

Get over what?

Ask Monoman3232.

 

[fivecardstud14]

Ask Monoman3232.

Boy that comment from him really got to you.

 

[the notorious r.d.m.]

Ask Monoman3232.

Boy that comment from him really got to you.

 

[HawkLogic]

I understand we have to find ways to highlight the futility of Iowa basketball but the “Sweet 16 drought” drum that keeps getting beaten is getting a little tiresome.

You have to win two games to reach the Sweet 16. Two.

For me, reaching the Sweet 16 is about as impressive as finishing 3rd or 4th in the conference, which Iowa has managed to do in recent memory. So, meh.

In other words, it needs to quit being discussed as a milestone. Yes, it’s pathetic Iowa hasn’t seen one in 25 years, but let’s not put it on a pedestal. I mean, if Fran had won that OT game against Tennessee a few years back, would fans really feel that much better about the state of Iowa basketball? I doubt it.

I think the point of using the Sweet 16th as a metric is that it is an Easy, low bar and Fran hasn't been able to do that at Iowa nor over his entire career which goes well beyond just Iowa. Even Steve Alford who is generally thought of as a poor coach made sweet 16 out of SW Missouri. Lickliter was horrible, yet he made a couple sweet 16s at Butler because he had Brad Stevens.

I personally think Fran's approach is fundamentally flawed in getting results in NCAA tourney because he doesn't emphasize defense enough, he makes sure his assistants are yes men, and I didn't care for the obvious Nepotism. That said, Fran does have fans of his uptempo style and his consistent 51% Big 10 conference performance. I do think this year's team will have the capability to play some defense for a change, but we are unlikely to make Sweet16. Thankfully the era of Fran running the team to maximize PT for his boys is over and his rule that there had to be a least one of his boys on floor at all times is gone. I think Fran will leave on his own in a couple years to coach Jack, but it probably won't be Butler unless it turns out Jack is a stud, which is unlikely.

 

[iahawks10]

I think the point of using the Sweet 16th as a metric is that it is an Easy, low bar and Fran hasn't been able to do that at Iowa nor over his entire career which goes well beyond just Iowa. Even Steve Alford who is generally thought of as a poor coach made sweet 16 out of SW Missouri. Lickliter was horrible, yet he made a couple sweet 16s at Butler because he had Brad Stevens.

I personally think Fran's approach is fundamentally flawed in getting results in NCAA tourney because he doesn't emphasize defense enough, he makes sure his assistants are yes men, and I didn't care for the obvious Nepotism. That said, Fran does have fans of his uptempo style and his consistent 51% Big 10 conference performance. I do think this year's team will have the capability to play some defense for a change, but we are unlikely to make Sweet16. Thankfully the era of Fran running the team to maximize PT for his boys is over and his rule that there had to be a least one of his boys on floor at all times is gone. I think Fran will leave on his own in a couple years to coach Jack, but it probably won't be Butler unless it turns out Jack is a stud, which is unlikely.

This should tell you instantly and obviously (without saying) that just because it’s an “easy” metric that it doesn’t make it a good metric. Having listed a few coaches that have multiple sweet 16’s, who both failed at Iowa, and very few people would want back here.

Maybe it’s an Iowa problem? Maybe that low bar isn’t so low around here given that Iowa only has reached it once in the last 36 years and that was with a lame duck coach without a contract, who we also ran off?

 

[monoman3232]

I think the point of using the Sweet 16th as a metric is that it is an Easy, low bar and Fran hasn't been able to do that at Iowa nor over his entire career which goes well beyond just Iowa. Even Steve Alford who is generally thought of as a poor coach made sweet 16 out of SW Missouri. Lickliter was horrible, yet he made a couple sweet 16s at Butler because he had Brad Stevens.

This just proves that Sweet 16's and the tournament at large is completely random and shouldn't be used to judge coaches. Especially at schools like Iowa.

 

[Titanhawk2]

I think the point of using the Sweet 16th as a metric is that it is an Easy, low bar and Fran hasn't been able to do that at Iowa nor over his entire career which goes well beyond just Iowa. Even Steve Alford who is generally thought of as a poor coach made sweet 16 out of SW Missouri. Lickliter was horrible, yet he made a couple sweet 16s at Butler because he had Brad Stevens.

I personally think Fran's approach is fundamentally flawed in getting results in NCAA tourney because he doesn't emphasize defense enough, he makes sure his assistants are yes men, and I didn't care for the obvious Nepotism. That said, Fran does have fans of his uptempo style and his consistent 51% Big 10 conference performance. I do think this year's team will have the capability to play some defense for a change, but we are unlikely to make Sweet16. Thankfully the era of Fran running the team to maximize PT for his boys is over and his rule that there had to be a least one of his boys on floor at all times is gone. I think Fran will leave on his own in a couple years to coach Jack, but it probably won't be Butler unless it turns out Jack is a stud, which is unlikely.

It's an easy low bar for critics, nothing more

 

[AmericaNeedsMe]

This just proves that Sweet 16's and the tournament at large is completely random and shouldn't be used to judge coaches. Especially at schools like Iowa.

I disagree with this. It's hardly random.

Over the course of a long enough career (5 or more years), making it to the sweet sixteen is a good measure of a coach's ability to earn a favorable seed -- 5 or better (thus avoiding 1, 2 or 3 seeds in the 2d round) -- in the NCAA tourney. Coaches who can consistently do this (field a regular season top 20 or so team), will more likely than not, eventually make it to the second weekend. Coaches who can't will need a lot more luck than the coaches who can.

It's also a good measure of a coach's game prep ability, as well as his ability to adapt and overcome adversities such as venue, officiating, injury, etc. etc. in real time.

The NCAA Tourney is 3 two game tournaments. If a coach can't win at least the first one of those in a 20+ year career, I think it's fair to say that that coach has significant limitations, in one or more areas.

In a career of ten years or more, a sweet sixteen is a necessary but not (by itself) sufficient accomplishment for a coach to be considered "good" at the high major level.

 

[iahawks10]

I disagree with this. It's hardly random.

Over the course of a long enough career (5 or more years), making it to the sweet sixteen is a good measure of a coach's ability to earn a favorable seed -- 5 or better (thus avoiding 1, 2 or 3 seeds in the 2d round) -- in the NCAA tourney. Coaches who can consistently do this (field a regular season top 20 or so team), will more likely than not, eventually make it to the second weekend. Coaches who can't will need a lot more luck than the coaches who can.

It's also a good measure of a coach's game prep ability, as well as his ability to adapt and overcome adversities such as venue, officiating, injury, etc. etc. in real time.

The NCAA Tourney is 3 two game tournaments. If a coach can't win at least the first one of those in a 20+ year career, I think it's fair to say that that coach has significant limitations, in one or more areas.

In a career of ten years or more, a sweet sixteen is a necessary but not (by itself) sufficient accomplishment for a coach to be considered "good" at the high major level.

Let’s take UCLA for example. They fired Alford after him taking them to the Sweet 16 three times in his five full seasons there. 60% of the time Alford made the Sweet 16 at UCLA and was fired. UCLA, a blue blood, with rich tradition of National Championships, a top 10-15 (or higher at times) in coaches compensation and program expenses. A school where basketball doesn’t play second fiddle to anything. Compared that to Iowa with some to little program tradition. No recent tradition. A school where men’s basketball is at best third in the athletic department, possibly fourth now. Coaching compensation that averages around mid 30’s (bottom 3rd of the B1G) and around low to mid 40’s in program expenses (also bottom 3rd of the B1G).

Then we expect them to succeed in the post season. Yes, the Sweet 16 is reachable, but not with any consistency at these levels and not without a ton of luck.

Even still, Iowa has been better than about half (probably 2/3rds) of the schools on the list above over the same time frame. A lot better than several of them. I wouldn’t trade spots with about half of those schools and I doubt you would either, Sweet 16 or not.

 

[AmericaNeedsMe]

Even still, Iowa has been better than about half (probably 2/3rds) of the schools on the list above over the same time frame. A lot better than several of them. I wouldn’t trade spots with about half of those schools and I doubt you would either, Sweet 16 or not.

I really don't follow the argument that Iowa shouldn't ever be expected to make the sweet sixteen because UCLA is a blue blood.

Iowa is "better" than 2/3 of the schools on the list? Better how? Not at making the sweet sixteen, clearly. Top 25? Kenpom? Better how?

I'd trade places with every single team on that B1G list except Penn State. I'd also trade places with the clowns.

 

[Ladell-hawk]

1988 and 1999 last two Sweet 16 appearances boys.

Alabama

Alabama-Birmingham

Arizona

Arkansas

Auburn

Baylor

Boston College

Bradley

Butler

BYU

Cincinnati

Clemson

Cornell

Creighton

Davidson

Dayton

Duke

Florida

Florida Atlantic

Florida Gulf Coast

Florida St.

George Mason

Georgetown

Georgia Tech

Gonzaga

Houston

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa St

Kansas

Kansas St

Kent St

Kentucky

LaSalle

Louisville

Loyola, ILL

LSU

Marquette

Maryland

Memphis

Miami/Fl

Michigan

Michigan St.

Milwaukee

Missouri

NC State

Nevada

Northern Iowa

Notre Dame

Ohio

Ohio St

Oklahoma

Oklahoma St

Ole Miss

Oral Roberts

Oregon

Oregon St.

Penn St

Pitt

Princeton

Providence

Purdue

Richmond

San Diego St

Seton Hall

South Carolina

Southern ILL

St. Joseph’s

St. Mary’s

St. Peters

Stanford

Syracuse

Temple

Tennessee

Texas

Texas A&M

Texas Tech

Tulsa

UCLA

Uconn

UNC

UNLV

USC

Utah

Vanderbilt

VCU

Villanova

Virginia

Virginia Tech

Washington

West Virginia

Western Kentucky

Wichita St

Wisconsin

Xavier

Almost as pathetic as your repetitive whining about it.

 

[nck24]

I understand we have to find ways to highlight the futility of Iowa basketball but the “Sweet 16 drought” drum that keeps getting beaten is getting a little tiresome.

You have to win two games to reach the Sweet 16. Two.

For me, reaching the Sweet 16 is about as impressive as finishing 3rd or 4th in the conference, which Iowa has managed to do in recent memory. So, meh.

In other words, it needs to quit being discussed as a milestone. Yes, it’s pathetic Iowa hasn’t seen one in 25 years, but let’s not put it on a pedestal. I mean, if Fran had won that OT game against Tennessee a few years back, would fans really feel that much better about the state of Iowa basketball? I doubt it.

Agreed. There is no trophy for being in the Sweet Sixteen. It's like finishing 8th in the Olympics.

 

[iahawks10]

I really don't follow the argument that Iowa shouldn't ever be expected to make the sweet sixteen because UCLA is a blue blood.

Iowa is "better" than 2/3 of the schools on the list? Better how? Not at making the sweet sixteen, clearly. Top 25? Kenpom? Better how?

I'd trade places with every single team on that B1G list except Penn State. I'd also trade places with the clowns.

Yes, St Joes, St Peter’s, and even St Mary’s have been better than Iowa over the last 25 years because they have a sweet 16. 🙄 clown logic at its finest.

The UCLA argument goes towards expectations. Iowa pays bottom third of the B1G money, slightly above average for D1 basketball and fans expect sweet 16 results.

 

[AmericaNeedsMe]

Yes, St Joes, St Peter’s, and even St Mary’s have been better than Iowa over the last 25 years because they have a sweet 16. 🙄 clown logic at its finest.

The UCLA argument goes towards expectations. Iowa pays bottom third of the B1G money, slightly above average for D1 basketball and fans expect sweet 16 results.

You never answered the question. How, specifically, is Iowa better than those teams?

Do St. Joes, St. Pete's, and St. Mary's pay better than bottom third of B1G money? No? Then how the hell did they make the sweet sixteen? That's pretty much impossible. Right? Right?

 

[iahawks10]

You never answered the question. How, specifically, is Iowa better than those teams?

Do St. Joes, St. Pete's, and St. Mary's pay better than bottom third of B1G money? No? Then how the hell did they make the sweet sixteen? That's pretty much impossible. Right? Right?

I know reading can be difficult, but no one said the sweet 16 was “pretty much impossible.” That’s the beauty of college basketball and March Madness actually. Anyone can put together a couple of games when given the right opportunity and a little bit of luck. I’m certain that part has been repeated.

How do you think Iowa has been specifically better than half to 2/3rds of these schools? Wins, tournament appearances, AP finishes, incoming revenue, a combination of things. It’s not just one thing specifically like one weekend in March.

 

[Macbride79]

It’s a low bar that should be attainable for a power conference program in 25 years.

This Sweet 16 drought is an albatross around the program and Fran. He should be asked about it at every single media availability, but it is hardly ever even a topic from the Iowa media.

I did ask Dochterman on The Athletic two years ago which event is more likely to occur this decade — Iowa men BB making the Sweet 16 or the Detroit Lions making the Super Bowl? Feel good with my pick of the Lions.